Container closure and seal with protective lip

ABSTRACT

A container closure utilizing a metal cap with a tear tab and a sealing liner. The cap has a tear tab secured to an integral rivet part of an upraised removable panel, which is defined by a score line and is removed when the tab is pulled. The sealing liner is positioned within the cap with an edge that extends into the removable panel, so as to expand and cover the edge of the opening when the panel is removed. The cap also has an integral skirt with the end bent onto itself.

Ilnited States Patent Vernon C. I-leffran Perrysburg, Ohio 856,675

Sept. 1 0, 1969 Oct. 12, 197 1 Owens-Illinois, Inc.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee CONTAINER CLOSURE AND SEAL WITII PROTECTIVE LIP 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[1.5. CI 215/40, 215/46 A, 220/54, 220/90.6

Int. Cl ,.B65d /0 B65d 53/00 Field of Search 215/40,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,447,713 6/1969 Stec 220/48 X 3,463,348 8/1969 Pound et a1 220/54 3,462,036 8/1969 Siemonsen et al. 220/54 X 3,481,515 12/1969 Booth et a]. 220/54X 3,497,097 2/1970 La Bange et al. 220/54 X Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorneys-John R. Nelson and Edward] J. Holler ABSTRACT: A container closure utilizing a metal cap with a tear tab and a sealing liner. The cap has a tear tab secured to an integral rivet part of an upraised removable panel, which is defined by a score line and is removed when the tab is pulled. The sealing liner is positioned within the cap with an edge that extends into the removable panel, so as to expand and cover the edge of the opening when the panel is removed. The cap also has an integral skirt with the end bent onto itself.

PATENTEDUCTIZISYI 3,612,340

VERNON C. HEFFRAN.

CtlthlThlll llElh tClLtlSlUltlE AND SEAL Wll'llliil lPlitU'llEC'lllll/lll lLllP This invention relates to improvements in closures containers.

Metal cap type of closures are usually removed by a bottle opener, twisted off either by tearing away a skirt portion of the cap or merely by unscrewing the cap. Thus either a special tool is required or considerable strength, particularly when the contents of the container require a seal and are under pressure.

With the foregoing in mind, a unique cap-type closure is contemplated that has provision for tearing away a portion of the cap so that the container contents can be removed through the opening that is provided. Also contemplated is a cap-type closure wherein sealing liner has a further function of expanding around and covering the edge of the opening in the cap.

Further contemplated is a cap-type closure having a tear tab attached to the cap by a rivet part formed integral with the tab. A related object is the provision of a cap wherein the tear tab is arranged to provide a better resolution of forces for easy opening with a minimum of effort.

Another objective is the provision of a metal cap which has the integral slrirt end bent onto itself so as to provide more effective pressure retention of the cap to the container with a minimum thickness metal.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

lFlG. l is a plan view of a container with a closure incorporating the principles of the invention installed thereon;

lFlG. 2 is a sectional view of the closure taken along line 2- 2 off-l6. l; and

MG. 3] is a fragmentary perspective view of the closure showing the closure after it has been opened.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral lltl denotes a container and the numeral 112 a closure thereon. The container lid is depicted as a bottle with a neck head lid but can be of many different forms and types as those versed in the art will appreciated. Also, the container ild can be made of any well-known material, such as glass, plastic, or metal. The cap llti is shown as formed of metal but can be made of any material that is easily formable and has the proper clamping and tear away characteristics.

The closure l2 includes a cap in with an inside sealing member or liner Elli of a suitable resilient compressible material; e.g., rubber, plastic or the like. The liner it provides a seal between the metal cap to and the neck head lid on the container Til when the metal cap lid is installed. The metal cap lid is formed with upraised top portion or removable panel and a depending integral skirt portion 22. The sltirt portion 22 as viewed in lFllG. 2 has the end doubled over or bent onto itself to strengthen the end and to facilitate the pressure retention of the metal cap M to the container it).

The removable panel 2b is defined by a score line 24 best shown in H6. ll. This removable panel 2b is torn away or removed by lifting a tear away tab 26. The score line 2d is formed in any well-known way, e.g., by reducing the thickness of the metal along this line 2d.

As illustrated in lFlG. 2, the upraised panel portion 2d has an integral rivet or attaching part 28! that, in the way of a conventional rivet, can be deformed to retain the tear away tab 26 in the illustrated normal position flat against the surface of the removable panel 2d. By having this rivet part 2% integral with the cap lib, the seal problem with conventional rivets is avoided as well as the rivet handling problem.

The tear away tab 2% on one side of the rivet 28 has a ring end Bill that is shaped so that it can easily be grasped by ones fingers on the other side of the rivet part 2. The tab 26 is provided with a nose end 32 that extends outside the area of the cap in defined by the score line 24. When the ring end Hill is lifted, as illustrated by the broken lines in MG. 2, the nose end 32 imposes a downward force against the metal cap llti. There is then a resultant force from this leverage on the rivet part 28, in an upward direction. This resultant force generates the tear away of the panel portion to provide the opening defined by the score line 24. With this advantageous lever arm arrangement, the required lifting force on the ring end 30 is minimal.

if preferred, the nose end 32 of the tab 26 can be positioned inside the area defined by the score line 24 and arranged so as to plunge into the panel at the score line 24 when the ring end lid is raised to efiect the tear away.

As illustrated in Fit]. 2, the liner lb has an inside edge denoted at 3 4i extending upwardly into the upraised sides of the panel 20 along the entire extent of the score line 241. Then, when the panel 2b is torn away, this edge 341 of the liner 118 will expand, as depicted in FIG. 3, so as to engage and cover the edge of the cap opening. It will be appreciated that the liner T8 at the edge 341 may have many different configurations and still fulfill the requirement of covering the edge 34.

Briefly summarizing, when the ring end 30 of the tab 26 is pulled, there is a force imposed upon the rivet 28 so that the panel 20 defined by the score line 243 is removed. As panel 20 is removed, the edge Sid of the liner id moves upwardly and outwardly against the edge of the opening.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a closure of the tear away type has the edge of the opening covered prior to subsequent use by the expansion of the liner 118 which also serves as a seal. After the opening, a large portion of the closure l2 remains on the container it}, thus there is less potential litter. Also, the metal cap llb has an integral rivet part 2% and the metal thickness at the skirt portion 22 is doubled to provide improved pressure retention while permitting the use of smaller gauge or thinner metals.

What is claimed is:

l. A closure for a container comprising a metal cap having a raised top portion defined by a score line, the upraised portion being removable along the score line to provide an opening, a sealing member of resilient material compressibly positioned within the cap with a portion thereof extending around the score line and up into the upraised top portion so that when the upraised portion is removed, the sealing member expands and covers the edge of the cap opening.

2. A closure for a container comprising a metal cap having integral attaching portion means generating an opening in the cap including a tear tab secured to the integral attaching portion of the cap, a score line defining a panel to be removed by pulling the tear tab so as to provide the opening, the tear tab having a nose portion extending outside the area defined by the score line so that when the tear tab is lifted, a downward force is imposed on the nose portion with a resultant upward force on the attaching portion and the panel so as to sever the metal and remove the panel, and a sealing liner of resilient material in the cap to effect a seal between cap and container and extend inside the score line such that when the panel is removed, the resilient material expands around the severed metal edge of the opening.

3. A closure as described in claim 2, wherein the cap has a sltirt portion formed by bending the end thereof onto itself to facilitate pressure retention of the cap to the container.

5. A closure for use with a container having a rim defining a mouth opening comprising a cap having an annular skirt and integral top portion, the slcirt and top joined by a corner radius, a ring liner in the cap and positioned along said corner radius and top, said liner being of an elastomeric material and compressed in the cap, disposed to seal the rim of the container and define a pour out opening under the cap top portion, a removable panel in the cap for providing the pour out opening upon removal, said panel being defined by a continuous outline in said top portion, the panel extending in radial overlapping relation with the liner at its pour out opening perimeter, and means connected to said panel for removal thereof from the cap, whereupon the compressed liner outwardly expands to cover the edge formed in the cap by panel removal.

5. The closure defined in claim l, wherein the cap is formed of metal and the skirt thereof comprises a lower annular por' tion that is bent to reversed adjacent relationship with the ad- 6. The closure defined in claim 4, wherein said panel is raised in the top portion of the cap and spaced radially inwardly from said corner radius. 

1. A closure for a container comprising a metal cap having a raised top portion defined by a score line, the upraised portion being removable along the score line to provide an opening, a sealing member of resilient material compressibly positioned within the cap with a portion thereof extending around the score line and up into the upraised top portion so that when the upraised portion is removed, the sealing member expands and covers the edge of the cap opening.
 2. A closure for a container comprising a metal cap having integral attaching portion means generating an opening in the cap including a tear tab secured to the integral attaching portion of the cap, a score line defining a panel to be removed by pulling the tear tab so as to provide the opening, the tear tab having a nose portion extending outside the area defined by the score line so that when the tear tab is lifted, a downward force is imposed on the nose portion with a resultant upward force on the attaching portion and the panel so as to sever the metal and remove the panel, and a sealing liner of resilient material in the cap to effect a seal between cap and container and extend inside the score line such that when the panel is removed, the resilient material expands around the severed metal edge of the opening.
 3. A closure as described in claim 2, wherein the cap has a skirt portion formed by bending the end thereof onto itself to facilitate pressure retention of the cap to the container.
 4. A closure for use with a container having a rim defining a mouth opening comprising a cap having an annular skirt and integral top portion, the skirt and top joined by a corner radius, a ring liner in the cap and positioned along said corner radius and top, said liner being of an elastomeric material and compressed in the cap, disposed to seal the rim of the container and define a pour out opening under the cap top portion, a removable panel in the cap for providing the pour out opening upon removal, said panel being defined by a continuous outline in said top portion, the panel extending in radial overlapping relation with the liner at its pour out opening perimeter, and means connected to said panel for removal thereof from the cap, whereupon the compressed liner outwardly expands to cover the edge formed in the cap by panel removal.
 5. The closure defined in claim 4, wherein the cap is formed of metal and the skirt thereof comprises a lower annular portion that is bent to reversed adjacent relationship with the adjacent part of the skirt, whereby at least the lower portion of the skirt is two layers of metal encircling the container mouth opening.
 6. The closure defined in claim 4, wherein said panel is raised in the top portion of the cap and spaced radially inwardly from said corner radius. 